The Dickinson press., 1887-10-08
A BATTLE IN THE SAND.
THRILLING NIGHTS EXPERIENCE ON
THE PLAINS OF ALGlERs.

a Long and Pcrilous Ride for Life aud
Victory Against Il Host of Hostile
Arabs-A Life Laid Down for IL Fellow
Man.
While acting as newspaper correspondent
in Algeria, says Robert Dane, | had one tx
lcricIirc. at least, that has always seemed to
me w"rtl. telling. l lad been down to the
cnnst, to the town of .Algicrs, after six
months campaigning at the front against the
Arabs. and was tn join the Ninth brigade If
ChaSscurs of Africa, under Col, Lascellcs, Mt
Il town i'll the interior called Marti: nno, ON
the 18th of September. But having I, good
deal Of correspondence, both private and of n
business nature, t" get off, it was the MORN
ing of the 2olh when my fact"tum, l'abrino,
and myself rode into Martirano, only to- find
for once that IL brigade of French troops had
started on the dat" set, and, as l learned,
from some friendly Arabs who came in, were
cncarnp"d mt the Seven Stones pool. Il SPOT
siNty-tour miles from the town. These
friendly Arabs also informed me that tn"
brigade" of Col. I.tSctlles was pretty thorough
~ cut oil from the main bod: 10y rowing
parties of ~liostilcS. all, however. actin. ON
one plan and under the direction OF one
leader. Here WAS the deuce io pav-a pros
poet of action, OF seeing service and gather
lliS news that no other LONDON paper would
get. was too good to throw away, So Falriuo
and myself hcll Il conversation and, much
against his advice and inclination. We de-
cii"i t" fisk ii. FalriMo WAS Il little, dark
skinned. slight Franco Arab. of oft tried
courage, great GOODNESS, and devoted to me.
knew that r"u,l trust him in any event.
ami telling him To make the horses ready,
proceeded I" overhaul my lrvolvriS and re-
l";ld them carefully. l"r there was ever" PRO-
lal'lli:N Of my needing :he.n before tho night
rid" was over.
.At' y. m. l'ahlilr" reported everything
ready. and a liiie before $ We ruieuut south
w:ri toward :lo desert. We were l.a,h
mounted ~ Arab horses. mine TX cling full
bred. ami ii had been given me lv v.,. 81 ;l.e
friendly Arab chiefs. i'll whose tvu;> l.,i
once spent tire" months, Fa.ri4a'> was a
half h:,ed Arab. ami Il >"nlrlIi,; ser. We
ia! a-got4!t" l.l>l straight, Iau-A. stou;!4.
i"' no ! AZ. ''!d !a!iis a;tenlwmtono Aral>.
t' they friendly ~ hostile. Fatri!o assured
lie liza. cur horses could do the SiNtv miles
by morning. ami tllou-il l rather d: 1"ult.,; ii.
1t WAS "ur only rl!aNcr. aud | was determined
/" work tina, Only cianre 10. nil it WAS worth.
Mild after mic passed i'll silence. save the
lnutt!.d sound y: uuI horses feet in the sand.
Il was a starlight night. Int there was no
i!!"'l. a!d there couit not lave been Il better
iASt't t.: an eN edition of this kind. Once
III passing some ta,nurisi there WAS a hail in
Arabic. lat We only bent lower on the ncrIS
II "ui' horses and sped ON. and after we had
S"M" half the distance OF tlcrral,outs we
halted ut Il water hole. RECOMMENDING care
fully, before finally riding W to it, for fear
ii finding ourselves in TIE lniiSt of an Arab
viictie-l Lad had nn uneasy feeling for the
last few miicS-and now that The hoof beats
We're >ti!lcd | could distinctly hear the sound
nt h"r>cnnen nj some distance behind us.
"a vino heard it, too, and told HE he had
i:':Hd it Cor some time. There WAS nothing
for it hut 1" pres on. Tightening the girtlis
we swung ourselves into the saddle, ln"scncd
"a" pistols 80 that tln might he easily drawn,
gathered ny the rcins. and the horses started
neck and neck with II rush.
We had not gone Il mile from the pool
when II flash on our right forrwarncl us Of
the bullet tina; immediately wl,izzad over our
heads. Following Falrino'S lead | SHE'D off
toward the left, and the Arabs at once broke
cover and came on i'll pursuit. Looking over
my shoulder | coull see The two tlretcst
mounted as they tore ON in our rear. Fahrino
and | p!,l.d our !!crScs down Il little. and,
turning in our saddles. took as deliberate aim
rs Was los>ihl" III the uncertain light and Mt
the speed Ne were going. and gave them a
vo.lcy from our heavy cavalry pistols we
"ar.!ei i'll our holsters.
one o: the white ulIiou>es, that indicated
tae.r Whereabouts. disappeared. the otlel.
7avel-! :. %!ao.le.it or Two AMI then pulled
" % '';tit for his comrades. Drawing
ioA- t!-a.i.> q: relief. We TUNED forward
again only I" :!A'! ti+ ~ta...t plain ahead If
Is dptt-ei vi. IL YIN: figures. know l
CAV" 4 g.>!,. and | heard Fabrino ~,A,.,ter
"Sa'f" fler, with Il vi.u. tina. only a
FgeMrlinaM can attain.
Then, without words. We bore away to tie
right. where the l:oi,..ien not being so close
together. there seemed the better chance to
Is a!lr. We coul'! >,v tI!.!i swinging their
iances and the >ciiilitcl blades flashed in the
Starlight. Us forcing our horses to their III
most we thunder"l down Oh the cncinv.
Revolver in hand, we reserved our fire
until certain of our aim. | discharged my
first barrel as a lusly scoun,lrel's scimitcr
circlel over my head, and fired two or three
times more. striving To max" every bullet
count. Suddenly ] felt {; soaring sensation OF,
NY ifit Si!"ulleI, uHi lheil, using my spurs
for the first time and sending them home,
NOW with awill, | sprang clear of the conflict.
The pain of my wound had turned me sicl,
and faint for Il time. When | came to l was
alone on the desert. Falrino nor tic Arabs
We're anywhere to he seen. A few hours
after daybrcai | rode int" our oulluSiS, hay.
ing ridden tiity-risht miles "n the one lorSl
since au!t!oWn the night before. The out.
pos, party wrr' sull'ris.,llo 500 me, and rlac.
ing ne on Il litter carried mo To Headquarters
where the surgeon loutd up my wound
which Ii" pronounced painful but rot danger
Gus. and Col. LascellcS gave m. Il heart,
welcome. and, what | was badly in iced of
something 4" eat and drink. lalrino | never
heard Of more, but have u" ,l",ll. that s,,i...
ne struck with IL lance lie desperately closct
with "lr enemies aud sacrifice; ii himself that
might escape. Fahlino had lr"il an awful
blackgunrd in his life, but What .lal can d,
more, good or la,i, than lay G"wn lis life TO
his fellow man!-Buiialo News.